Certification: Official "AABP Certified," which may be used for marketing purposes

Certification: Use of the AABP Certified Member logo

General Membership

General Membership is appropriate for those seeking to support the AABP Mission and take advantage of membership benefits.

How to Join

Agree to the terms below and pay the membership fee (below) which is $60 / year in Canadian funds.

We will then list you in the directory as "Pending" and send an invite for the member's forum and send you a declaration regarding the terms to sign and send in (Membership is not established until the declaration is received and membership is no longer "Pending")

When we receive the signed declaration, we will replace the "Pending" membership with your General Membership

Then, you may then apply for Certification if you wish and take advantage of other member benefits

Terms of Membership

By joining the AABP, you acknowledge that you will conduct yourself in accordance with the AABP Professional Practice Guidelines (including the mission and methodological stance), the content of this web site, including position statements and policies. Any and all policies, member's benefits or requirements for continued membership may change without notice and members are to maintain current familiarity with them. Any membership may be declined or revoked by the AABP at its sole discretion. The AABP may decline a membership request if we have some specific demonstrable reason to believe that the candidate currently does conduct themselves in contravention of the AABP Professional Practice Guidelines and we have no reason to believe they are about to discontinue the practice. Furthermore, the email list, just like membership, is a privilege and any member who breeches the "rules," including to be kind and professional to others on the list, may be moderated or removed from the list or have their membership revoked without refund at the sole discretion of the moderator (appeal to the Advisory Board available).

Further, please, if you are not dedicated to a radical behaviorist (behaviorological) orientation to behavior or you are not dedicated to non-coercive methods, do not apply to join. Click here to explore this further. There are organizations that represent trainers with eclectic orientations and provide a sitting on the fence stance on aversive stimulation. However, tyne AABP is not one of them.

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$60 / year

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Please note: This payment establishes what Paypal calls a "subscription." That means that it will automatically renew your membership each year for you. You are, of course, free to cancel the subscription component at any time you like. If you are uncomfortable with the subscription system, after you make the membership dues payment here, simply go into your Paypal account and cancel the subscription component. That will not affect your membership or the payment you just made. It will simply not renew each year automatically. This is how we track membership renewal though, so this means you would need to take note of the due date and then on or before that date each year, come to this page and make a new fresh payment (and again cancel the subscription component in your Paypal account. We would not be sending out noticed or reminders.

AABP Certification

Certified Members are proficient behavior technologists and strongly dedicated to professionalism and non-coercive methods. The Certification categories and AABP awarded designations awarded are:

Certified Dog Behavior Technologist (CDBT)

Certified Parrot Behavior Technologist (CPBT)

Certified Cat Behavior Technologist (CCBT)

Certified Animal Behavior Technologist (CABT)

Certification Criteria

Certified Dog, Cat, or Parrot Behavior Technologists are species specialized behavior technologists who consult with clients, and in some cases, work directly with a client’s companion animal toward meeting specific behavioral objectives, preventing and/or resolving problem animal behavior, and ultimately strengthening the human-nonhuman animal relationship. They also educate the public and colleagues on animal behavior.

Those with formal education that covers one or more core areas of competence are exempt from taking the exam component associated with that core area of competence. Click here for Approved Education Providers and the core areas of competence their programs cover. A copy of certificate, diploma, transcripts or letter from the education provider must be provided along with professional membership application.

Requirement #2

Demonstrating Skill Proficiency

(Supervision or References plus Video Submission)

Candidates for certification may provide evidence of 30 supervision hours or a professional reference attesting to the candidate’s skill in training and helping clients resolve problem behaviors. IAABC Certified Members exempt. Candidates with Cert IV Companion Animal Services from the Delta Society Australia and KPA graduates exempt from video submission requirement.

30 supervision hours provided by an AABP Certified Member, IAABC Certified Member or Cert IV Companion Animal Services covering training and working with clients to resolve common problem behaviors. The supervisor will be asked to attest to the fact that the candidate is competent to work independently as a behavior technologist with the species in question. Supervision may be performed via distance (video, conference calling, phone etc).

Or...

Letter of reference from AABP Certified Member, IAABC Certified Member or Cert IV Companion Animal Services members attesting to the fact that the candidate is competent to work independently as a behavior technologist with the species in question.

Or...

3 detailed case studies. These are written documentation of entire cases all the way from beginning to end. They may be supported with video and/or client references. The case studies should each be with the species in question for the certification and be different problem behaviors. It would be best if they were complex problems rather than very simple ones as they will be evaluated all all fronts. the case study should include everything from the functional assessment notes, including any functional analyses to the formal behavior objectives, the strategy and behavior change plan documents, progress notes and all quantitative data. In order for these to be acceptable, these need to be very detailed and behaviorological case studies.

And…

Video submission as described below:

Each video requires the applicant to show themselves in the video with photo I.D. that can be read on screen to verify the identity of the trainer on the clip. You may submit the clips on a CD or DVD or thumb drive mailed to the AABP, or you may provide a link to the clips posted on a YouTube or a private video sharing site (provide AABP with appropriate password). The subject being trained should be of the species for which the candidate is seeking certification (or any species if CABC) is being sought).

Video 1 will demonstrate proficiency training the subject to exhibit a behavior via targeting. The clip should not exceed 5 minutes in length. The subject may be trained in targeting already, but the behavior to be trained must be new to the subject. The video must show both the targeting luring of the behavior and also fading of the target prompt.

Video 2 will demonstrate proficiency training a subject to exhibit a novel behavior via shaping. The clip should not exceed 15 minutes in length. Choose a relatively simply but novel behavior that is appropriate for shaping (as opposed to simple differential reinforcement). The candidate should submit their prepared list of approximations and terminal behavior that they use to plan the training project. The video should show the candidate working through their list of approximations including the terminal behavior. Finally, the terminal behavior should be brought under stimulus control of a verbal cue.

Video 3 will demonstrate proficiency in behavior chaining three behaviors. The clip should not exceed 15 minutes in length. Appropriate choice of behaviors for chaining is considered in the evaluation. Choose a relatively simple chain of behaviors. The component behaviors may be previously trained but the video must should the chaining procedure used to link them. Finally, the chain should be brought under stimulus control of a verbal cue.

Requirement #3

Demonstrating Professional Responsibility

(Ethics plus Liability Insurance)

Candidates for certification will sign a form declaring their commitment to the AABP professional Practice Guidelines and enforcement policies and processes and provide evidence that they work under professional liability insurance.

How to Apply for Certification

To Apply for Certification, first make sure you are a General Member, and then email us through the 'contact us' page for an application form and then pay the administration fee below before returning the form.

The administration fee for applying for certification is a one-time and nonrefundable (even if the candidate applies but does not meet the criteria for certification) payment of $200. If the applicant is required to take the AABP Proficiency Exam and is required to pay a fee to the invigilator of that that exam, that is a separate arrangement between the candidate and the invigilator and distinct from the AABP fee. If the candidate does not pass the exam, the fee includes a retake opportunity. Further retakes will require a $50 administration fee.

The AABP provides certification and only asserts that the technologist has demonstrated that they meet the criteria stated here or what was stated when the member applied. We cannot guarantee anything beyond this and we assume no liability or responsibility for the actions or inactions of any 'approved" organization or member.

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